About Us

Who We Are

The Mallarmé Chamber Players are a flexible ensemble of professional musicians based in Durham, North Carolina, whose mission is to enrich the lives of the community through outstanding chamber music performance. The ensemble distinguishes itself in the community by its innovative educational programs, its commitment to creative collaboration with other organizations, its creation of significant new work and its dedication to serve a diverse population.

Created in 1984 by musicians Jane Hawkins and Anna Ludwig Wilson working with poet and arts administrator Margaret DeMott, the ensemble’s name comes from Stéphane Mallarmé, the 19th-century French poet and philosopher who believed that true art is created through a unity of music, dance, literature and the visual arts. In keeping with their namesake, Mallarmé performances are often interdisciplinary and have been praised by critics and audiences as innovative, eclectic and of the highest artistic quality.

With the most gifted artists from North Carolina Mallarmé Chamber Players perform programs that include rarely heard works from the traditional chamber music repertoire that celebrate the diversity in our community by featuring the music of African American, Asian, Latino and women composers. Mallarmé has commissioned over 35 new works by American composers. They have created new contours in the landscape of chamber music through partnerships with artists of many different disciplines. Through their eclectic education programs they have developed a new model for community-based arts organizations.

For Mallarmé’s 25th anniversary season in 2008-09, Suzanne Rousso, violist and former orchestra administrator, took the helm as the new artistic director of the ensemble. 2019-20 is Mallarmé’s 36th year!

2021-22 Board of Directors and Staff

Ruth Cox, co-chair
Michael Fisher, co-chair
Juan Álamo
Nancy Clapp-Channing
Andrea Edith Moore
Jim Schaeffer
Tony Sprinkle

Suzanne Rousso, artistic director, suzanne at mallarmemusic.org
Mickaella Guarascio, operations manager, mickaella at mallarmemusic.org

Artist Spotlight

Jennnifer Curtis violin

Hank Smith and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw
Banjo and Fiddle

Bluegrass ambassadors Hank Smith and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw...

NEW - COVID PRECAUTIONS FOR BLUEGRASS BLEND Vaccine or negative test required (click plus sign on right for info)

  • For the safety of all, Mallarmé is requiring that all guests be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (at least two weeks after final dose) and provide proof of vaccination – either the original vaccination card or a printed copy of the vaccination card OR must have received a negative COVID-19 diagnostic test within 72-hours before entry to the venue and provide PRINTED, dated, and time-stamped proof of a negative result prior to entering the venue.
  • The Carolina Theatre is a 1000 seat venue, that at most will be at 35% capacity for our concert. That means there is plenty of room to spread out and socially distance yourselves. It is general admission seating, so if you want to sit in the back row in the upper balcony, you may do so!
  • The Carolina Theatre has new hospital-grade air filtration systems, has implemented gold-star cleaning methods, and continuing contact-less systems—to ensure the safest possible facility.
  • All guests and staff must be masked except when actively eating or drinking. Artists on stage may not be masked but will be at least 20 feet away from the front row of the audience.
  • The performance is 80 minutes long without an intermission to minimize movement in the theatre and lobby areas

THESE ARE NEW POLICIES AS OF AUGUST 28, 2021

We are sorry this information was not disseminated earlier, however approaches to safety in our community are changing rapidly, and we feel we must respond to what we are observing and what is going to ensure the safety of all our constituents.

More info about these policies can be found on the Carolina Theatre website https://carolinatheatre.org/visit/health-and-safety-policies/

Mallarmé subscriber members will also be able to have access to this concert virtually later in the year, so if you decide you do not want to come out for the live concert, you can see it online!

Thank you so very much!